Daube Provençale
Photo: gerard cohen · Public domain

History

Daube has been the Provencal Sunday dish since the 18th century, named for the daubière, the round-bellied earthenware pot it traditionally simmers in. The Marseille version adds orange peel and black olives. Le Bouchon Provencal, Chez Etienne and Chez Madie Les Galinettes all keep daube on the winter menu. The dish was historically served on Mondays as leftover Sunday lunch reheated, with the broth strained and reduced through reheating.

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Common allergens: Sulphites

Make it at home

Yield 6Hands-on 45 minTotal 24 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg beef cheek or beef chuck, cut into 5cm chunks
  • 1 bottle Cotes de Provence or Cotes du Rhone red wine
  • 100ml red wine vinegar
  • 2 medium yellow onions, sliced
  • 3 carrots, sliced thick
  • 1 head garlic, cloves crushed
  • 1 bouquet garni (thyme, rosemary, bay, parsley stalks, tied)
  • 2 wide strips orange peel (no pith)
  • 200g lardons or smoked bacon, diced
  • 50ml olive oil
  • 3 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 200g pitted Nicoise or Kalamata olives
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Tagliatelle or boiled new potatoes, to serve
  • Grated Parmesan and chopped parsley, to garnish

Method

  1. The day before, combine the beef, wine, vinegar, onions, carrots, garlic, bouquet garni and orange peel in a large bowl. Cover and marinate in the fridge 12 to 24 hours.
  2. The next day, lift the beef out and pat dry. Strain the marinade, reserving the liquid and the vegetables separately.
  3. Heat the oven to 150C. Render the lardons in a heavy casserole over medium heat for 6 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
  4. Add the olive oil to the bacon fat. Brown the beef in batches; do not crowd the pan.
  5. Add the reserved vegetables to the pot. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes.
  6. Pour in the reserved marinade. Return the beef and lardons. Bring to a simmer.
  7. Add the bouquet garni and orange peel. Cover with the lid and braise in the oven for 3 hours.
  8. Add the olives for the last 30 minutes.
  9. Lift out the bouquet garni and orange peel. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. The sauce should be deep, glossy and coating.
  10. Rest 20 minutes before serving over tagliatelle or with boiled new potatoes. Scatter with grated Parmesan and parsley.

Tip from the editors. Daube tastes better the next day; cook the day before and reheat gently. Use beef cheek; the gelatin gives the silken sauce a daube needs.

Where to eat daube provençale

Daube Provençale in Marseille

Le Bouchon Provencal ★ 4.0

€€ French regional1er

Le Bouchon Provencal in Marseille's 1er on Place aux Huiles is a bistro of Provencal and Lyonnais lineage, two vaulted dining rooms and a lime-tree terrace.

OrderThe daube provencale and a glass of the house red on the terrace.

TipOpen Mon-Sat; the upper vaulted room is the spot on cold nights.

Directions

Chez Madie Les Galinettes ★ 4.4

€€ Provencal2e

Chez Madie Les Galinettes in Marseille's 2e has cooked the Provencal canon on the Quai du Port since 1995 under Delphine Roux, an affordable bouillabaisse.

OrderThe bouillabaisse at €59, half the price of the seafront rooms with the same view.

TipBook a terrace table for sunset; the Provencal stew at lunch is the value play.

Directions Book

Chez Etienne ★ 4.4

€ Pizzeria

Chez Etienne in Marseille's 2e Panier has cooked wood-fired Marseillais pizza since 1943, no menu and cash only, anchovy pizza around €15, supions.

TryAnchovy pizza, fried supions and grilled meats

TipCash only, no reservations; closed Wednesday and Sunday Cash is faster than card.

Directions

Chez Fonfon ★ 4.8

€€€ Provencal Seafood7e

Chez Fonfon in Marseille's 7e sits in the Vallon des Auffes cove and has cooked bouillabaisse for the Mounier family since 1952, the fish landed each morning.

OrderThe bouillabaisse for two, served in the traditional sequence of broth then carved fish.

TipClosed late January for two weeks; book a sea-side table at lunch for the cove light.

Directions Book

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